Poorly disguised as two “predator control studies” aimed at increasing sport-hunting opportunity for mule deer over the coming years, the state is putting bears and cougars in the crosshairs. The first plan calls for trapping and killing between 15-45 cougars and 30-75 black bears over a period of three years. The “study” part is a post-killing analysis of the impact of removing native predators on mule deer fawn survival rates. The science shows that removing native carnivores from the landscape undermines ecosystem functions…